Every August 1, the Catholic Church celebrates Saint Alphonsus Mary Liguori, patron of teachers of moral theology and confessors. He is also patron of Catholic lawyers, of osteoarthritis sufferers, and of the Italian cities of Pagani and Naples (of the latter he is co-patron).
Saint Alphonsus holds the title of Doctor of the Church, granted by Pope Pius IX, in 1871, by virtue of his numerous theological writings, particularly those dedicated to Christian moral teaching. His works made him well known and respected during his lifetime, and today he is counted among the most popular saints of the 18th century.
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Devotion and iconography
Saint Alphonsus is generally represented with the crucifix in his hands, bent over – he suffered a terrible ailment that deformed his back -, surrounded by books, a rosary, and accompanied by an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for whom he professed the most depth of devotions.
His name, ‘Alfonso’, has Germanic origin and means ‘ready for combat’, ‘he who is willing’; Curiously, his life ended up being the realization of the meaning of the name his parents chose for him.
Moral theologian and preacher
This Italian saint, a native of Naples, was born on September 27, 1696. At only twelve years old he was admitted to the Faculty of Law and at sixteen he obtained a doctorate in Civil and Canon Law. He is the author of numerous works considered great contributions to theology: The practice of loving Jesus Christ, Preparation for death, The glories of Mary. A special place among them occupies its Moral theology (Moral Theology), a writing that enjoys great fame and influence, used for centuries in the formation of the priesthood.
Likewise, Saint Alphonsus was recognized for his beautiful and edifying sermons. He preached with simplicity and taught the missionaries that “a sermon without logic is scattered and lacking in taste. A pompous sermon does not reach people. For my part, I can tell you that I have never preached a sermon that the simplest woman could not understand.”
A clarification is worth regarding the final part of this quote. This does not constitute any offense, nor does it contain any type of sarcasm: in the time of Saint Alphonsus women were rarely educated or literate. This condition has changed over time, and, rather, the saint’s words should be interpreted as an expression of how aware he was of social disparities and that his intention was precisely not to put obstacles in the way of teaching and to reach everyone. .
Thanks to this pastoral sensitivity, Alfonso somehow sends a powerful message to today’s preachers: the priest must be concerned that his sermons are truly means placed at the service of the people, so that they reach God, and not an obstacle that confuses or distort the evangelical message. Herein lies the challenge for any preacher who wants to proclaim Christ and not himself. Alfonso knew it very well.
Connoisseur of the human soul
Saint Alphonsus, on the other hand, is a source of inspiring ideas, the kind that can guide the spirit in its daily struggle. Among his best-known sayings is the one that says: “There are no weak people and strong people spiritually, but people who do not pray and people who do know how to pray” – a provocation for the self-indulgent soul and a call to trust in power. of the prayer.
Pope Benedict XVI explained to the faithful, on this day in 2012, that this saint “reminds us that the relationship with God is essential in our life: without the relationship with God the fundamental relationship is missing,” he said, and that ” “God has created us out of love, so that he can give us life in fullness.”
Saint Alfonso María died at the age of 90, on August 1, 1787, in the midst of very painful circumstances, as he had been unjustly separated from the Order he founded. Thank God he was rehabilitated post mortem (after death).
He was canonized on May 26, 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI, and declared a Doctor of the Church on July 7, 1871 by Pope Pius IX.
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If you want to know more about Saint Alphonsus Mary Liguori, we recommend the following article from the Catholic Encyclopedia: https://ec.aciprensa.com/wiki/San_Alfonso_Maria_de_Ligorio.
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Central Editorial
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